North Mountain National Forest Park of Huzhu county
Covering an area of over 400 square kilometers, North Mountain National Forest Park or North Mountain Forest Farm consists of myriads of wonderful views such as Eighteen Pan, Huangyahuo, Hule Heaven Pool, Tiger Mouth and Monster Cave Daligan and so on. In the attraction area the ancient trees are tall and lofty with the strong and fragrant odor of pines pervading everywhere, while high gorges and deep valleys are dotted with blooming flowers. North Mountain, also called Tulou Mountain, is over 2000 years old till now. Yongxing Temple is formerly called Bei Chan Temple, which was built on the site of North Mountain Shrine on the North Mountain.
The historic sites in the North Mountain include Buddhist temples, Taoist Temples, Brick Tower, Caves, murals and outdoors Buddha. Among cliffs and precipices, there scatter nine chiseled holes and eighteen chiseled caves in order from west to east, which have been added from time to time with heavens ladders and paths going through them; therefore, miles of the caves sinuously connected inside. Through the on-site inspection of experts there are 39 straight caves and 18 slanting caves. The most magnificent building on the mountain is Doumu Palace in front of the caves, which is composed of 17 main palaces and attached porches, in which the sculpture of Doumu is very special and magnificent with four heads and eight arms.
A plaque, which is inscribed with three characters of 'Tu Lou Guan', and a gate tower called Kui Xing Lou are on the entrance to the temple, which is situated in the left front of the Doumu Palace. The shrines and temples on the North Mountain are sites for religious activities; therefore, they are cloaked in religious mystery. Nothing is stranger than shrines, temples, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism on North Mountain, which can reflect one another. Here exist relics of mythology and legends of Zang Minority and Han Minority, and here also exist Sakymuni and kwan-yin worshipped by Buddhists, Doumu and Taishanglaojun worshipped by Taoists and the temple of Guan Emperor, who is respected by Confucians as the idol of loyalty to emperor. The sculpture of Guan Emperor is set up in a chiseled cave, and the cave culture is of great value for art research.